1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a storage apparatus, a memory card accessing apparatus, and methods of reading/writing the same, in particular, to a secured storage apparatus, a secured memory card accessing apparatus, and methods of reading/writing the same.
2. Description of Related Art
A memory card is a data storage device, and a flash memory is usually used therein as the storage media thereof. A flash memory is an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM) and which offers high re-record-ability, power-free storage etc. Besides, a flash memory is a kind of non-volatile memory therefore it has the advantages of non-volatile memories such as small volume, high accessing rate, and low power consumption. Moreover, a flash memory has high operation rate because easing data stored therein is made in a unit of block.
Memory card has been broadly applied to personal data storage due to its characteristics of small volume, large capacity, and portability. However, if a memory card is lost, the data stored therein may also be stolen.
To resolve foregoing problem, a password identification program is usually stored in a memory card. A user has to execute the password identification program in a host when the user plugs the memory card into the host. The password identification program may compare the password entered by the user with the one stored in the memory card. If the two passwords do not match or the password identification program is not executed, the host only detects part of the memory space in the memory card so that the user cannot read all the data stored in the memory card. If the two passwords match each other, then the user can use the entire memory card as normal.
However, according to the method described above, the password stored in the memory card has to be read (for example, into the host) to be compared with the password entered by the user, which increases the risk of the password being cracked. Moreover, the password identification program can be easily cracked even without a password for it is executed in the host. Accordingly, the personal data of the user may be stolen once the password identification program or the password is cracked.